KSC-2010-4661

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Empty fire blanket holders are at the center of the blast-resistant "rubber room" beneath Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The room is a steel dome floating on rubber isolators and was used as an escape route during the Apollo Program in case of an emergency. It has since been abandoned by astronauts, but throughout the years nature found its way inside, including raccoons, snakes, birds and even a bobcat and opossum. Starting in 2009, the structure above the room on the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett